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International Initiatives
Northeastern University has undertaken several
initiatives to broaden its presence globally, with a focus on building
research and educational partnerships with universities around the
world. By establishing connections with colleges and universities
internationally, the University is facilitating relationships for
students and faculty in Asia, Africa, Latin America, South America,
Europe and the Middle East. Faculty Exchanges
In 2004, Northeastern University was named to
the Compostela Group of Universities (a network of 82 European universities)
and is the first North American university to be accepted into this
organization. Faculty from Tel Aviv University and Ben Gurion University
in Israel, Wroclaw University in Poland, and Sichuan University
in China have been welcomed to campus recently to meet with
Northeastern University faculty and administrators.
Northeastern is offering three post-graduate certificates in Kuwait
as part of a program headed by Deborah Greenwald, associate professor
of counseling and applied psychology.
Northeastern faculty have received prestigious Fulbright fellowships
to conduct research in other countries. Michael Zack, associate
professor in the College of Business Administration, is the first
ever occupant of the Fulbright-Queens University Visiting Chair
in the Management of Knowledge-Based Enterprises. At Queens University
in Canada, he is surveying Canadian firms to assess how knowledge
contributes to a firm's ability to compete. Professor of Communication
Studies Richard Katula lectured and conducted research on political
communication and classical rhetoric at the University of Athens.
Christina Gilmartin, associate professor of history, spent a year
at the People's (Renmin) University of China, in Beijing, researching
the lives of radical women in twentieth-century China.
Study and Co-op Abroad
Students are encouraged to study abroad as part
of their undergraduate education. The University encourages students
to pursue the opportunity to learn about other cultures, practice
language skills, and incorporate classroom knowledge into real life
experiences abroad. In the College of Arts and Sciences, students
can fulfill their Experiential Education requirement through study
abroad. Students may study in Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada,
Chile, China, Costa Rica, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Egypt,
England, France, Ghana, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New
Zealand, Puerto Rico, Scotland, South Africa, Spain, and Vietnam.
Participation in an international co-op placement
provides students with invaluable lessons in navigating the complexities
of the global marketplace. During students' six-month co-op experience,
they work and live in another country, immersing themselves in the
language, culture and customs of their host nation. In the College
of Business Administration, undergraduates in the bachelor of science
in international business program spend a year abroad and are required
to participate in a co-op placement at companies in France, Germany,
Spain or Italy.
International Scholar and Student Institute
The International Student & Scholar Institute
(ISSI) advances the internationalization of the University while
fostering an appreciation of a dynamic and diverse population. While
the ISSI serves as a primary resource for international students
and scholars, its mission is embedded in the notion that learning
can be best achieved in an environment that fosters meaningful cross-cultural
interaction and understanding for all members of the University
community.
To provide a forum for intercultural awareness,
the ISSI implements activities that aim to respect diverse backgrounds
and life experiences, expedite the admissions process for and facilitate
the acculturation of international students, provide cultural enrichment
opportunities, catalyze meaningful exchange between domestic and
foreign nationals, and strengthen international alumni networks.
The ISSI provides an array of services to this constituency that
begins with the international admissions process and develops into
sustained relationships that continue beyond graduation. By amalgamating
its services, goals, and intercultural focus, the ISSI celebrates
diversity through a mission that reflects the goals of international
educational exchange.
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